Friday, 31 May 2013

It's Rock'n'Roll London Day… AND It’s the ongoing Daily
Constitutional Film Festival! The latter is programmed by London Walks Guides and
London Walkers. Which is the greatest London movie of them all? The best
performance in a London-set film? Your favourite London movie location?

As usual, we want to
hear from you – send us your favourite London movie nominations to the
usual email address, get in touch with us on Twitter @londonwalks or leave a comment at the bottom of
this post.

On Rock’n’Roll Friday, here’s Adam…

No. 37:
Blowup (1966)

Adam writes…

In yesterday’s contribution to The Great
London movies series (catch up with that post on The Jokers [1967] HERE) my
chum Richard IV also mentioned Blowup, the Antonioni film from 1966. His passing
suggestion that it was a somewhat po-faced affair is difficult to disagree with
40-and-some years on – but I feel compelled to add it to our list for its
memorable performance by The Yardbirds.

It is Rock’n’Roll London day, after all.
Here’s the trailer…

And here are The Yardbirds with Beck and
Page in their scene from the movie…

And here’s our own film…!

POST UPDATED 21/2/16

A London Walk costs £10 – £8 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

It’s The Daily
Constitutional Film Festival. And it’s programmed by London Walks Guides and
London Walkers. Which is the greatest London movie of them all? The best
performance in a London-set film? Your favourite London movie location?

As usual, we want to
hear from you – send us your favourite London movie nominations to the
usual email address, get in touch with us on Twitter @londonwalks or leave a comment at the bottom of
this post.

LW film expert Richard IV returns with a
60s classic…

No. 36:
The Jokers

An energetic Michael Winner production, a
proper swinging sixties film (and far more fun than Blow Up) with Oliver Reed
and Michael Crawford as brothers who, disguised as Royal Engineers, steal the
Crown Jewels. From iconic symbols of old London (the Tower, Trafalgar Square,
the Albert Memorial) to cutting-edge architecture (the Economist Building,
standing in for New Scotland Yard) a great showcase for the capital. One of the
best supporting casts, full of familiar faces (Harry Andrews, James Donald,
Daniel Massey, Kenneth Colley). And the placing of the jewels upon the scales
of ‘Justice’ atop the Old Bailey is a bravura moment in British film.

Richard
IV

Richard IV is an actor, swordsman and an
expert on early detective fiction.Velvety voiced and perfect timing, he makes for some awfully handsome
listening! No surprise to learn that he's narrated numerous documentaries and
audiobooks.

POST UPDATED 21/2/16

You can also book a private London
Film Locations walk by calling London Walks on 020 7624 3978 or
emailing london@walks.com.

A
London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your
guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all
London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

There was a cute photo in the papers this week of Maggie, a Herdwick sheep born from an embryo frozen during the foot and mouth outbreak, who has just given birth to two lambs. Maggie and her breed have been a vanishing species, but interest in rare breeds means their future is more secure.

Herdwick are fell sheep, picking their way around the hills in Cumbria. They don’t put on weight quickly – neither would you if every day was spend fell walking – so they aren’t popular with breeders who can raise more timid breeds that get fatter more quickly. But that slow growth means really good flavour. And Herdwicks have just been granted a PDO – protected denomination of origin, also awarded to Jersey Royals, Stilton cheese and Cornish clotted cream.

Herdwicks’ most famous supporter was Beatrix Potter, who bred them herself . But if your interest in them is culinary rather than literary, you can often buy Herdwick lamb and mutton at Sillfield Farm in Borough Market.

For more foodie titbits join Ann’s Foodie Walk this Saturday, June 1. Meet at Green Park tube, park exit by the fountain.

A
London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your
guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all
London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

It’s The Daily
Constitutional Film Festival. And it’s programmed by London Walks Guides and
London Walkers. Which is the greatest London movie of them all? The best
performance in a London-set film? Your favourite London movie location?

As usual, we want to
hear from you – send us your favourite London movie nominations to the
usual email address, get in touch with us on Twitter @londonwalks or leave a comment at the bottom of
this post.

My goodness these London Walks guides are
busy bees. Straight and to the point here’s a list from Isobel and a command
from Laurence…

It’s The Daily
Constitutional Film Festival. And it’s programmed by London Walks Guides and
London Walkers. Which is the greatest London movie of them all? The best
performance in a London-set film? Your favourite London movie location?

As usual, we want to
hear from you – send us your favourite London movie nominations to the
usual email address, get in touch with us on Twitter @londonwalks or leave a comment at the bottom of
this post.

Angela joins in…

No.
28 & 29: Hue and Cry & The Lavender Hill Mob

Another thought re London films: 'Hue and
Cry", an Ealing comedy, 1947, set in London just after the war, and 'The
Lavender Hill Mob', early fifties I think, set a bit in Paris but mostly
London, and again a classic!

Classics indeed Angela! Here they are…

Angela

Angela is one special actress. "She's
so good it's almost impossible to compliment her", as Frederic Raphael,
the author of The Glittering Prizes, said of her performance in that
award-winning series. A similarly smitten Clive James said of her "Helena
in the Royal Shakespeare Company's All's Well That Ends Well: "You
couldn't ask to hear the words better spoken"

POST UPDATED 21/2/16

You can also book a private London
Film Locations walk by calling London Walks on 020 7624 3978 or
emailing london@walks.com.

To join a London Walk, simply meet your
guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all
London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.